Week 4: Reasons to praise..

There are times when the spirit of praise and even worship just randomly come over me, maybe because I’m listening to a particular song or sermon, sometimes I’m not even doing anything and before I know it I’m belting out songs and calling all the names for God that I know and just giving Him my all. There are those times however when we simply can’t think of a reason to give Him His due. Times may be hard, perhaps we’re feeling a bit distant, convicted by the knowledge of our sin. For those occassions which are not as rare as we would like them to be, that you cannot even fathom a reason to praise or worship, I’ve put together a list of some verses that will hopefully serve as a reminder:

Psalm 139:14 – I will praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made, your, works are wonderful, I know that full well
Praise Him because you are a part of His wonderful work, isn’t that beautiful!

Romans 8:35 – Who then shall seperate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecuion or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? (v 37) No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
When times are hard, praise should spew from us because His word has assured us that we have already conquered!

Jeremiah 29:11 (possibly one of my favourite verses) – For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future
What more can be said? Sometimes we face set backs, but He is worthy of our praise and not our questioning because He knows exactly what He is doing.

Isaiah 59:1 – Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save nor His ear too dull to hear
Isn’t that a cause for peace that knows no bounds and praise that knows no end? Our God is able to save us and hear us when we call.

Isaiah 55:11 – …so is my word that goes out from my mouth, it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it
Remember He said in Jeremiah 29:11? Need I say more? If a God that is incapable of lying has said this, I believe He deserves all the worship and praise I can give.

Luke 4: and Jesus answered him, ‘it is written, you shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you serve’
In those time when you can’t think of a reason to worship God, instead of being a slave to what is getting you down, worship God just because. Sometimes we become so enslaved by what is happening around us and within us that those situations become a god that we bow to without knowing. Take your focus away from these things and put it on God.